Count Down
by Eirawen
Summary: It started out because of his mother. Hermione ended up a psychiatrist to war victims and god knows Narcissa needed it. But then things change and a father threatens new life forcing Hermione away. How does Draco get her back? Let alone find her? P.2 up!
1. Count Down

Disclaimer: If i owned these characters...well i'd be super rich and busy coming up with my next super successfull novel. Sadly i'm not and the credit goes to J.K Rowling for the characters, plot is mine, but our protagonists and antagonist ain't.

* * *

Dark forbidding clouds rolled in over the horizon, looming ominously hundreds of meters above the surface of the earth and continuing on thousands more till all they become was one thick rolling black curtain closing in on the act.

Even from a distance, Hermione could see a tint of green revolving around in the clouds themselves. She sighed and glanced down to where her 14 month old son Chase was crawling around on the green and red blanket she'd placed down on the ground an hour ago when they'd arrived at the park in the first place. He was at the moment, crawling slowly over the rug, his gaze and interest focused solely on the mat in front of him. Bending a little she moved to see what it was her son was so focused on and then smiled when she spotted a small caterpillar wriggling across the mat.

In a matter of seconds the caterpillar was being accosted by her son's drool.

Her gaze went up once again to the distant storm at the sound of low rolling thunder.

"Don't you think it's about time for ye to be getting home with that boy of yours miss?" A frail creaky voice asked her.

Hermione shot a glance at the neighbourhood's eldest inhabitant, Mr Kendrick's who was walking slowly through the park on his way home. She smiled and then nodded. "Yeah I was just thinking that."

Mr Kendrick's smiled and then glanced down at her son, a soft loving reminiscent look came into his eye before continuing his journey.

Hermione sighed and started gathering the baby toys strewn around the mat, placing them back into the basket she'd packed for this outing. Around her, she noticed the quietness of the world. The natural ambience - the chirping and the humming of insects, the thrum of cars – was gone. In its place was an eerie silence, almost expectant of something terrible.

Chase babbled as the caterpillar escaped his grasp and disappeared into the forestation of grass that had grown past the regulation length that council's had kept for the past few years. He pushed himself up to sit up on the mat and then sent his mother a bubbly grin, clapping his hands and cooing in happiness.

Hermione smiled and picked up her son, placing him in his pram and strapping him in, kissing his cheek in return.

Turning around, she moved to pack up the mat and remaining possessions laying around, glancing briefly around the park as she did.

Only one other person remained in the open. Everyone else had disappeared indoors, readying themselves for the approaching storm.

He sat across the park from her, slouched into the bench he had chosen, his cap pulled down low across his face in an effort to cut the long gone bright sun light from his face as he slept. He was dressed in typical young adult fashion, comfortable fitting jeans and an oversized baseball jersey.

The sound of thunder, louder this time around, jolted Hermione to the present where she finished gathering her belongings and started to push her child home.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices in the back of her mind, the last remaining visitor in the park stand up and start to walk towards the exit. As she exited the park herself, she couldn't help the strange shiver and the sense of dread that overwhelmed her.

It was like the eerie calm before the storm.

* * *

_Five…._It was like something out of a novel. Enemies for years and then they end up twisting and turning, fighting the other for dominance as they rolled around on the plush carpeted floor, clothes being ripped to shreds within their hands. Their mouths agape as they attacked each other, kissing roughly, passionately any part of skin they could find. Harsh panting filled the air, husky chuckles and low moans vibrated across the large richly furnished room. And then the final scream of his name shattered their worlds.

It was the tension; it had to be the tension.

But nobody told her it was sexual tension that had been building up all these years.

All the years she'd spent at school with him, the 6 years she'd spent, day by day hurling insults back at him just to top his own, it had been building.

But silently. Almost dangerously.

Then that year, the year everything that her friends and herself had worked so hard towards had come and gone, with a victory in their corner.

Life seemed to go on, a weight off of everyone's shoulders.

Hermione had ended up opening her own business. All those who were affected in some way, mentally, physically or emotionally needed help. The ministry, however wasn't concerned with helping the fallen, the heroes of the war that they'd tried to deny for years.

Somebody had to help.

Her business had been a success and so, when the final patient, the last remaining hero that had come to her for help had left through the front doors, she'd been urged to make this more. More than just help for the heroes.

There were others out there, others who faced abuse or some sort of fear or phobia that disabled them in some way, fit or form; others who suffered from diseases and their helpers. Every body needed to talk some time or another. Hermione had continued to help, her and her fellow trained professionals, anyone and any who that came through those doors was looked after and helped to the best of the centre's abilities. She became an acclaimed medical witch, studied her heart out to pass the exams that would allow her to further help her patients. She travelled the world, helping out other centres to develop the successful programs that were already in place at hers. People, famous people, sought her out in secrecy, under cover for the help she offered. They trusted her; they allowed her to go places. And she'd accomplished it all within the ten years after she'd finished school.

And then he entered her office.

* * *

Hermione sat beside the tub, her hand dangling over the edge and listlessly twirling the small amount of water within the tub. Within the warm water sat Chase, splashing and playing quite happily with the rubber duckie she'd brought him when he could sit up in the bath by himself. Hermione still sat beside the tub and watched him with hawk eyes, paranoid for the fact that he might somehow end up with his mouth under the short level of water she'd made for him and wouldn't be able to get him self back up into the fresh air above.

She ran her hand over the soft blonde hair that was curled somewhat, rinsing the shampoo from his hair with a cup in her other hand.

"Mummy" Chase cooed picking up the rubber toy and shoving it in her face. Hermione smiled down at her son and then took the duck from his hands, placing it back on the surface of the water and giving it a push to sail off across the high seas. Chase laughed and clapped his hands before reaching out for it, momentarily throwing himself off balance as he reached forward and landed on his stomach, face first.

But within the 10 cm high water, he pushed himself up to sit again and Hermione's hands wrapped around his chest were no longer needed in his attempt to sit back up.

"Alright you, time to get out." She said reaching over for the towel she kept near by.

When she'd gotten Chase out of the bath and finally dressed in pyjamas even though it was still only 4 in the afternoon, she left him to play in the play pen she'd set up in the already somewhat crowded living room while she went to fix herself the last warm drink before she turned in for the evening.

As she stood at her kitchen sink and stared out the window she noted the dark clouds she'd seen earlier had finally arrived. The sky, as far as she could see from the 4th floor of the apartment block she lived within and the multi-level library and crowd of shops opposite, was dark and almost livid. The tint of green she'd seen before was even more prominent now. The world outside was silent as ever, waiting for the storm to finally hit, to be done with its anger on them and be on its way.

"Mummy!" Chase cried from the living room as a flash of lightning lit the darkened sky.

"I'm here Chase" she called back to him, quickly adding the milk and water for her hot chocolate. As she made her way back into the living room she saw Chase standing at the gate, his legs bending and straitening agitatedly as he looked up at his mother in something akin to nervousness. She smiled reassuringly and then placed the hot beverage on the coffee table before going over and picking her son up and allowing him to sit next to her on the couch. He crawled over her, sitting in her lap when he found a comfortable spot and just stared up at her, his silvery grey eyes big and filled with wonder and total unconditional trusting love. His hand reached out to touch her cheek and she was reminded that such an act was what his father had done to her often; reached out to cup her cheek gently, his eyes scanning her face with love and questioning his worthiness of her.

Chase was so much like his father it was sometimes almost heart breaking.

* * *

_Four…._ He'd come to her as the final attempt to get somewhere, achieve even one small miracle. He'd been all over magical London and Europe to find someone he could get to help his mother.

Of all the people that she could help or expected to see walk through the doors of this practice, she never expected to see Draco Malfoy walk through the doors and walk, unannounced and quickly into her office along the corridor to the right of the lobby. He'd informed her and made it absolutely and unabashedly clear that she was his last resort and that he seemed to trust no one with his mother's secret nor could they seem to truly help him or begin to understand what was keeping his mother from the world of the sane after all she'd been through.

So the weeks went on; Draco would come in once every fortnight with his mother for her to tell Hermione about what was wrong. At first it was awkward. For the both of them. Here she was, being seen by the one and only Malfoy – for the help of his mother- the man who'd tormented her for years during their schooling, calling her every name under the sun.

And she could see that the great and powerful Malfoy also felt the awkwardness of the situation.

He, the pure blood genius, babe magnet and all around god, was seeking help from her, the mudblood, greatest mind of their era, somewhat lacking in the relationship department.

It took a while for him to warm up to her too. While his mother sat in the chair designated for patients in front of Hermione's own special – and most comfortable – chair, Draco sat quietly and extremely rigid behind his mother on one of the chairs she'd bring in from her waiting room. He watched the interaction between Hermione and his mother with caution and speculation. She could tell that he didn't fully trust her to succeed in this matter.

Eventually weeks turned to months and then almost half a year had passed before Draco sat back comfortably in his chair and waited for the appointment to be over with. It was only when Narcissa had spent a whole week without having some sort of nightmare that the progress was shown. That appointment where Narcissa had happily exclaimed that she had not had a nightmare the entire week, Draco hung back to talk to Hermione. Before she'd left through the door he'd sopped her with a gentle hand cupping her cheek. He'd whispered something to her and then kissed her forehead and then stepped back to allow her through the door.

"Thank you." He said, once the door had closed after his mother.

Hermione had shrugged and stood up to place her notes away in the appropriate file. "I haven't finished with her yet." She warned him.

"I understand. Except...its just you've achieved more than what any other psychiatrist has in the amount of time. She's also stopped her nervous habits of fidgeting and shying away from Father's associates and Father himself."

Hermione nodded and took a seat at behind her desk. "Is your father helping her development?"

Draco sighed and shook his head, falling into the seat recently vacated by Narcissa. "Father doesn't concern himself with such matters. As long as he has a normal obedient wife that is all he is concerned about."

Hermione twisted the pen cap on and off, mulling over her next question. "How does he feel about me helping his wife?" she asked.

Draco turned to look out the window before replying. "He doesn't know it is you that she is seeing. As far as he is concerned I take her to the best psychiatrist in France to get her help. Instead, I apparate from the grounds of the manor to the apparating spot 2 counties across then apparate to the spot outside your building."

Hermione nodded and then let the silence fill the room. Malfoy looked down at his hands sitting in his lap and then looked back up at her, a determined look on his face. "I want to apologise as well. While there is no plausible nor forgivable excuse for the way I treated you at school I hope that you could forgive me anyway. I've changed Hermione…and you helping my mother, after all I've done to you…I'm beyond gratefull. I'm eternally in your debt."

Hermione paused at the apology. His voice was genuine; his eyes trained and focused fully on her face, in particular her eyes, trying to convey the sincerity, the truthfulness of his apology. Taking a deep breath, Hermione nodded.

His mouth opened to let out his own deep breath, nodding gratefully that his apology had been accepted. Then he stood, nodded once more and walked out of her office.

* * *

By now the rain had started to fall, but it was wrong. Somehow the dark depressing clouds were only releasing a small amount of big fat droplets. The sound of the rain echoed off the tiled rooftops, within the apartment the closed windows and doors muffled the sound. Only in Hermione's bedroom could she hear the full effect of the rain, her bedroom window open fully as it was away from the direction of the rain falling at slight angle. The sound was refreshing, rejuvenating, and held so much unease and danger.

A strike of lightning forked down through the sky outside her window, the bolt cutting through the atmosphere like a sword through butter, jagged and sharp as ever there was. The predicted resounding sound of thunder boomed mightily 35 seconds after. What did they say about how far a storm was away? Count the seconds between the lightning and thunder, divide by three?

Hermione shivered with a mixture of anticipation and dread. The weather forecasters had predicted that this storm would be the storm, the 50-year storm that hit the city every…well 50 years. The news reporter had dug up the records of the last 50 year storm that had hit the city and pointed out that 50 houses were wipe offs, double the number for vehicle, the city lost power for four days, trees that had been sunk deep into the ground and had been living for well over 90 years had been uprooted and toppled. Most other houses had sustained damage to their roofing tiles leading to the short-lived nickname of tarp city.

As she turned away from the window, trying to tune out the storm and the worry and unease it was creating within her. She looked towards her dresser, topped with all her nick knacks and long time-cherished photos of all the important people in her life. There was the picture she'd taken with Harry and Ron when they were all together at the burrow just before they'd returned to school. One of her parents and herself just before she left for Hogwarts for the very first time. Another with just Ron, his head turned so that his lips were planted against her cheek. It had been only another month before they'd figured that their relationship wasn't dating material. They both looked on at each other as siblings and so had made a clean break form each other.

The next was the photocopy she'd created of the picture of the old order of Phoenix. She'd taken the photo off Harry and made a duplicate of it for herself so she could remind herself of all the lives lost or ruined because of the war. And then in the picture frame coupled to that, was the updated Order of Phoenix, with Harry, Ron and herself front row, centre.

The last picture was of him. Chase's father.

She was laughing in that photo, rocking back and forth in the fit of laughter that had encompassed her when Draco had spilt his coffee over both of them, their clean white shirts soaking up the liquid, moulding to their figures. Draco had just been arrogantly talking about his cleanliness when a waiter had come past behind him and knocked into his back. Draco looked bemused at her hysteria but his eyes were hungry and full of passion and lust. Hermione had been grateful that she'd been wearing a purple singlet top underneath and so her shirt wasn't totally see through. But she could see that the memory of spilt coffee was affecting him once more.

Hermione had been grateful that Ginny had had a camera that day, though she was sure to make certain that only one print was ever made.

* * *

_Three…_Hermione couldn't believe her luck. Of all the days to wear a white blouse to work.

She'd spilt her hot coffee all over her top thanks to one of the nurses and she couldn't locate her wand for the spell to fix things. Now her dirty brown blouse clung to her body, allowing for her light pink bra to shine through. As she shuffled through the papers on her desk trying to locate her wand, the door opened.

"If you don't have another blouse for me Tiffany then you better not disturb me." Hermione had said without even looking up at the intruder.

"I'm not Tiffany." Came the lilting voice of Narcissa Malfoy.

Hermione had stopped her searching immediately and looked up to see both Narcissa and her son standing in the doorway. Her face heated up with embarrassment. Narcissa had looked slightly bemused about the situation and when Hermione had shifted her gaze to Draco…her face really turned red. His gaze was heated, hungry and locked on to her chest.

"Uh…sorry." She started and then started moving through her papers at a much quicker pace, she'd totally forgotten about her appointment with the Malfoy's was in the next few minutes. "I can't exactly find my wand to fix my problem." She explained. Narcissa smiled and waved her hand as if to brush off the apology. "Don't worry my dear, all is well. Draco be kind and fix Ms Granger's shirt." She directed her son before she walked over to the couch designed for patients and took a seat. Hermione turned to Draco, beyond embarrassed and annoyed with the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

Draco pulled his wand out of his robed, his expression taught and somewhat regretful as he muttered the incantation that would reverse the damage done to her blouse.

With a sigh of relief, and a curious look towards Draco, Hermione gathered her notepad and pen and took her usual seat in front of Narcissa. Draco stood stock still where he was until Narcissa called his name. He cleared his throat, shook his head as if in a daze and then conjured a chair for himself to sit in.

The time passed quickly, Narcissa quickly forgetting the scene she'd walked in on as she informed Hermione with delight that she had taken the chance of not taking the medication Hermione had prescribed for her to sleep well at night. The result was a normal, well-rested night without the usual nightmares again.

Hermione had smiled, please with the progress but had cautioned Narcissa about doing it many nights in a row, however if she wanted to go without the prescribed draught at night, she could, but she had to be prepared for the nightmares.

As Narcissa talked more about her life, Hermione kept shifting uneasily in her seat aware of the burning gaze Draco kept trained on her during the meeting. She had no idea what he thought he was doing but wished to Merlin he would stop. The churning, low ebb of heat in her gut was growing and putting her concentration on the case off. All she could think of was Draco and his stare and what would happen if he just crashed his lips to hers and…No! Hermione shook her head and tuned into what Narcissa was describing as her favourite holiday.

When the appointment drew to a close and Hermione walked Narcissa to the door and said her goodbyes, Hermione turned to Draco who remained in the room even after his mother had walked off down the hallway towards the front entrance. They stared at each other, the silence in the room thick with newly noticeable tension.

"Thankyou for fixing my shirt." Hermione said, breaking the silence, nervously rubbing the inside of her arm. Draco's intense gaze had remained fixed on her, slowly raking over her body form head to toe and back again, lingering on her chest and lips. She licked her dry lips and attempted to say something more only to have nothing come out. Instead she watched as Draco moved towards her, his steps sure and slow, like that of a predator. His gaze was dark and hooded, firmly locked on her newly moist lips.

Hermione had gasped when he trapped her against the wall, his arms either side of her head. His body had pushed against hers, his hard body, hard lines against her soft curves. Her gazed lifted to his, wide with uncertainty yet filled with a reciprocating heat. Again Hermione wetted her lips with her tongue, Draco's eyes tracking the progress of the tongue as it followed the curve of her lips and disappeared into her mouth within.

"Draco-" she whispered shortly before his mouth lowered to hers. Her breath caught as his lips brushed over hers, once, twice, three times before sinking down and digging in. His hands came cradle her head, holding it in place as his tongue sneaked out and probed her lips, non-verbally asking for entrance into the wondrous cave of her mouth. Hermione opened her lips allowing his tongue to charge through and explore and caress every inch of her mouth.

A long moan tore from the back of her throat, Draco grunted and shifted his pelvis into the cradle of her hips, grinding in a sensual rhythm against her. He shifted his mouth, drawing the kiss out before sinking back in and taking her under.

It was glorious, wonderful. All thoughts were lost, her wills and the common sense she possessed that would have had her pushing Draco away from her and ordering him out of the room had disappeared in a puff of smoke the instant his lips had touched hers. The ebbing heat in her belly burst into life and a crescendo of need and lust that she hadn't felt since…forever.

And then he was changing the kiss, slowly slowing it down, drawing back as he brought the heated kiss to a close. Her eyes flicked open, she'd been unaware that they had closed but when she opened them she found Draco staring back at her, a small amount of surprise that she hadn't called a stop to the kiss immediately lingering in the recesses of his eyes, overshadowed by the hunger should could only assume was for her.

With his hands still cradling her head, her eyes locked onto his, Draco had asked:

"Have dinner with me tonight."

* * *

After she'd double checked that Chase was alright to be on his own for a short while, Hermione took a shower. The vivid memories that plagued her whenever she looked at Chase, the product of herself and her lover and the experiences she shared with him, were starting to hurt. They were precious, yet they made her vulnerable.

Hermione only ever brought them back when she was feeling lonely, feeling like she had no one to talk to. Having Chase and him being only 14 months old had kept her from working and so she found no friends in the workforce.

Her neighbours while nice, were all in their 60's, retired and spending their time watching cooking shows, knitting or enjoying the comfort and companionship that their 40 year marriage allowed them.

Everywhere she looked were couples, young and…old. Looking at her neighbours, especially the Crumples that lived at the bottom of the stairs when she went out to the park with Chase most mornings burned in her gut. She'd been naive enough to dream she would have a future with Draco. Foolish.

Then when she looked upon the younger couples when she went to the shops, sitting together sharing their food and drink or choosing a product or some sort of material item together almost made her weep.

Then there were the times when she spotted couples locked in a passionate embrace. Her face burned when her mind unwittingly brought up memories of her times spent with Draco, most importantly the time she was sure they'd conceived Chase, and then the last time they'd been together, all the while she knew, secretly it would be the very last time that he touched her, told her he loved her, playfully bantered or argued with her.

Hermione sighed scrubbing away at her messy, wind tangled hair with the conditioner before rinsing and turning off the water. When she stepped out, she viewed herself in the mirror.

She'd never quite understood what made Draco so interested in her. She never thought her body would appeal to the likes of billionaire playboy bachelors.

Sure over the last two years her body had changed some, pregnancy being the natural cause, but she never understood the appeal. She remembered the first time she'd noted the hungry look in Draco's eyes as he stared at her body, her cheeks flaming at the memory.

It had been the catalyst for their first time. Another perfect, passionate memory.

* * *

_Two_…Hermione had agreed to the dinner, why she had no idea why and had preferred not to question herself on her decision and instead ride on the anticipation that formed in her gut as she prepared for the date. When he arrived at her house and picked her up, she was pleased to note that he was on time.

He took her to a nice comfortable restaurant on the other side of London, not too fancy or flashy and not something she would comfortably afford should she be dining with three others.

Draco had dressed in a semi formal way, dress pants and smart shirt sans tie. His sleeves he'd rolled up to just below the elbow, hinting that he'd directly come from work before he'd picked her up for dinner.

"Working late?" she asked, looking pointedly at his sleeves.

Draco smiled and nodded, taking the menu the waitress offered him and placing it in front of him. "A business merger got a bit tricky. The CEO had tried to rob his own company of hundreds of thousands of dollars right as we were about to buy it. A couple of hours later and the skills of a computer hacker, I got the money back and landed him in lock up."

Hermione smiled and then looked over her choice of drink, giving it to the waitress and then turning back to Draco. "Let me get this out of the way then, quickly. Do you sleep, live and breathe your business Draco?" she asked, clasping her hands together and resting her chin upon them, a calm, small smile across her lips.

Draco shook his head, giving his drink order to the waitress and turning his full attention upon Hermione. "No. Because if I did I would not have time to worry about my mother…nor take a beautiful woman out to dinner." He smiled and then proceeded to question her about her interests.

They chatted, they laughed and they both got along surprisingly well so much that when the evening drew to a close, Hermione wished it to continue on for forever. She'd learnt so much about the man who'd been the irritant of her schooling days, the one who was on par to her level of intelligence, who could defend himself and throw back a quick rebuttal when need be. She was surprised with his deeper knowledge on certain subjects such as psychiatry, but after confessing that he'd brushed up on the subject after he'd taken his mother to get help, she saw a newer, nicer side to Draco Malfoy.

And she concluded that those he respected and loved, which were few and far between, he would go to the ends of the world to help and support.

When he took her home, she purposely continued the heated conversation they were having on her idea for rights for house elves, right up until she'd unlocked her door, and still wanting the last word, Draco had pushed on through after Hermione had left him with what was supposed to be her last word and walked further into the darkness of her home.

Hermione had known having the last word on a subject that got Draco passionate, angry or annoyed was something of a must for him and so with what one could interpret as the final word turned and closed the door behind her, leaving her to be encompassed in the darkness of the night within her own home. Leaving Draco outside.

Outside she could tell that Draco had not moved from her doorstep, a sixth sense that she'd developed around him was telling her he was still outside, the fact that he hadn't left after she'd gotten the final word nicely affirming her beliefs on him.

With that she'd moved confidently into her kitchen, determined to start coffee so it would be ready by the time Draco had pushed forth into her house to get the final say and they'd finished their conversation. But something made her pause, thinking about opportunities that could be taken a hold of while in her home.

True to her beliefs, a minute later the sound of her front door being pushed open resonated through the silent house. Draco's footsteps as he came towards the kitchen, the only light source in the house were quick and determined.

When he'd entered the kitchen and seen the fact that Hermione had pulled out two cups for coffee – yet noting her muggle jug had not been turned on, nor the cups been filled with coffee - he'd instantly realised her plans on continuing this evening in the privacy of her home.

He strode across the kitchen and whirled her around in quick succession. He planted himself in front of her, barely a few centimetres gap between them.

And smirked.

"You could have just invited me in." His voice was a lilt of music, the undertones of huskiness starting to come heavily through. His hands planted themselves on her hips, dragging her against him. She grinned, her eyes confidently landing on his. "And where would the fun be in that?"

Draco growled and attacked her, his mouth closing over hers with a fastness and hunger that shocked even her. But she did not yield instead she fought back, her mouth opening, her tongue moving to tangle in war against his.

Draco growled, the sound erupting from the depths of his throat and renewed his attack, his hands moving up her spine, pressing her body forward, closing any and all gaps between them. When his hands reached her shoulders, one went to gingerly clasp the back of her neck while the other cupped her head. Within those hands was the gentleness that Hermione had no idea existed. But it was within his lips and his hungry kisses did Hermione see the side she knew always existed. After all, Hogwarts was always filled with the rumours of the Slytherin King.

They drew apart when air was needed, Hermione gasping, Draco panting.

They stared at each other until Draco leaned forward once more to continue when Hermione lifted a hand and stopped his lips.

His eyes questioned her. Didn't she want this?

Hermione smiled and pointed towards the right. "Bedroom's in that direction." She informed him. She grinned with the implications, noting that Draco probably wasn't expecting this from her. But her abdomen was swimming in heat. Molten lava was churning within the depths of her body, long ago forgotten parts were coming alive with need as his hands and mouth started warming her up.

Draco smiled and gripped her hips, dragging her with him as he moved backwards out the kitchen door. His mouth again attached itself to hers, nibbling and sucking at her lips, then drawing her bottom lip between his teeth to bite down gently. Hermione moaned and then suddenly it was all need and hunger from this place forth. She attacked him, leaving behind the tentative hands and less than vicious kisses.

They fell backwards, landing on the ground somewhere between the kitchen and the bedroom. She laughed, Draco smiled somewhere between losing his attachment to her lips and taking on the delicate skin on her neck. His mouth sucked and nipped at her neck, chasing a path down her neck towards her collarbone until he reached the top of her dress where his hands played their tune against her body, reaching behind her, her back arching with the chills that tingled down her spine as he manoeuvred her zipper down her back. Her shoulder straps came loose and Draco took the opportunity to kiss away the straps, tugging them away with his hands roughly. Hermione's hands came up to grip his arms, her body writhing as Draco kissed down further, shedding her dress to bare her bra-less breasts to him. Her stomach burned a million degrees hotter as his wet mouth ravished her, his hands coming up to strip away the rest of her dress as her own shifted to ridding him of his clothes.

Their limbs tangled as they rolled across the floor, bumping into pieces of furniture scattered across the room. Their mouths yearned, the sounds of their hunger and need for each other shattering the silence of the house. His hands travelled the contours of her body, memorising her every inch, every bump or curve that she possessed.

He made her feel the ultimate woman.

And then, when they finally came together, 7 years, the 7 years they'd known and been in contact with each other worth of tension – sexual tension – erupted in the most euphoric feelings and emotions she'd ever felt. The being fore filled to the brim sensation alone was more than she could comprehend. Never before had anyone filled her, tested her patience and brought her needs to fulfilment before their own. The rhythm that shook her, the sensations his mouth wrought upon her hapless body moved her beyond recognition, broke through her body and brought upon a cataclysmic climax that had her arms falling weakly to the ground, his name tearing from her lips in one shocking scream as Draco reached his own release seconds after, following her into the eternal abyss.

* * *

Hermione quietly watched the DVD she'd put in. Chase was snuggled up beside her, his head on her lap, his eyes taking in the visions the television before him. She had no idea if he understood of not, but in the case that he did understand what was going on, she'd introduced him to Disney and at the moment she was watching her favourite Disney movie ever, The Incredibles.

A family with gifts, superpowers.

Hermione knew that in the real world, none of that was without potions and spells. Wands came in handy most of the time. And she figured she'd be giving Syndrome a piece of her mind and a nice hex for killing off all the past superheroes.

But she was just like the retired superheroes herself. Years ago she had been famous, apart of the Golden trio who helped rid the wizarding world of the most awful evil the world, muggle and witching alike, had ever experienced. Then she'd become pregnant and put herself and her child into hiding, closing herself off from the wizarding world forever. Hopefully.

She'd hidden her wand and was determined to do things the muggle way; and so far, she'd succeeded.

When she'd decided to give up the wizarding world for the safety of her unborn child, its father and herself, she'd transferred half her savings into muggle money, enough to buy herself a tiny house and get started with a new life. Hermione had moved most of her power as director for her medical facility over to her closest and most trusted employee, Daniel Gregor, who'd been working with her since the very first day the doors had opened. She still had controlling interest over most major changes to the facility, but most of the time, she was unavoidably out of town.

She could be contacted, but only Harry knew how. He'd sworn that he would take her whereabouts with him to the grave and with their past history, she knew she could trust him, after all it was her life she was placing in his hands.

Randomly every four or five months she'd send him a picture of herself and Chase, knowing he would want to know that they were doing ok.

Harry was one of two people who knew she had been pregnant, and whom too. The other…

Hermione shivered with the thought and cradled her son closer to her.

* * *

_One…_They'd continued their relationship but in secret. Hermione understood that Draco's father would not be impressed if he got wind that his pureblood son was dating the mudblood he'd so strove to put down and get rid of. So they met after dark and went to nice restaurants outside of London where nobody would know them. Afterwards they'd go back to either of their houses and talk more or play around.

As time went on, they grew closer, learning each others habits and tiny irritants, learning how to forgive and move on after a drawn out fight. They loved spending time together and pined for the other when they weren't in the other's presence. Hermione couldn't wait for their arranged dates and spent some parts of her appointments in her day dreams.

And then came the day when he told her how he really felt. It was morning actually, 4:29, they'd been laying quietly side by side in Hermione's bed, just enjoying each other's . Draco's arms were tightly around her, holding her against him, her head resting against his chest under his chin. She'd just checked the time when Draco had kissed her head and said "I know our past was pretty pathetic, but I hope our future is even better, thankyou for giving me a chance Hermione, there could never be any one else like you. I love you."

Hermione was sure at that moment that her heart had stopped beating. She lay frozen against him, not daring to move, uncertain on whether she'd heard right.

Draco shifted his arm from under her head and turned to face her, bending his arm to support his head as he watched her. "I love you Hermione Granger. I don't know when, I don't know how, but since I realised, there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you. There will be no one like you."

He'd brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear before leaning away to watch her reaction.

Hermione herself couldn't believe it. She'd known she'd loved him ages ago, but was afraid to say anything should he get scared and run off, ruining her happiness and serenity. She looked up at Draco and smiled, running her fingers down the centre of his face, stopping to trace and linger on his lips. She moved forward and kissed him deeply, his hand coming around to hold the back of her head where it was as he continued the kiss.

When they drew apart, Hermione had whispered her love.

It was two months later when Hermione started throwing up. She'd thought she'd caught a bug off one of her particularly sick nurse, whom she'd scolded for coming in instead of being at home, tucked up with plenty of liquids and rest.

After spending a few sick days in bed, though feeling completely useless and entirely bored she kept wondering why she wasn't getting a sore throat or blocked up nasal cavity to go with the bug.

After all, Tiffany had left the building with puffy eyes and an extremely red nose, tissues spurting out of her handbag, her wand having just cleaned up her last bout of mess across the lobby floor.

Being the brightest witch of her age, she took the safest route and got herself checked out by a friend in St Mungo's .

He came back with the news that she was pregnant, not sick.

She'd been somewhat ecstatic, somewhat uncertain at what Draco's reaction would be when she told him the next day when he came to visit her. What held her back from contacting him immediately was the fact that he was in a meeting in far off Australia and wouldn't be returning till early afternoon the next day.

Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face regardless of what she thought Draco. She scolded herself on thinking he wouldn't want their child, scolded herself for not remembering how much he cared for her.

The entire day she'd been on a high imagining what would become of this news, imagining the future, the happy family they would make. She'd been so far off into outer space that she'd failed to note her door bell ringing, until a loud thumping brought her back down to earth.

Happily, and without thought to who would be visiting her at this late hour, she'd opened the door with a great smile on her face.

It disappeared in an instant, happiness replaced with fear.

"Ms Granger I believe we need to have a talk." Lucius Malfoy said before pushing her aside and entering her house.

* * *

Outside the wind picked up, howling against the building. The rain started to come down heavier, and then with a flash of lightning, almost on top of that a loud clap of thunder, the clouds opened and released its fury.

Hermione held Chase closer to her as he whimpered slightly and buried deeper against her side and into the couch. The sound of rain got heavier and harder until it reached the tell tale sounds of hail raining down upon the earth. Lightning flashed twice, causing a short circuit where the lights and tv flickered three times before cutting out. Thunder cracked open the sky, causing a startled Hermione to jump and shiver slightly.

"Mumma…" Chase's cry was muffled by her shirt.

The storm had arrived with a vengeance.

* * *

_Zero…_Hermione was cold, the happiness and warmth she felt from the news she'd received today from her St Mungo's friend had disappeared into a heightened awareness and caution, dabbed with a hint of fear. The only reason for Lucius to be at her place was because a) he found out about her helping his wife and wanted to talk about it or b) he'd found out about her dating his son and was here to warn her off.

She dearly hoped it was the first.

Lucius stepped into her living room and looked over the room with disgust and contempt swarming his eyes. When they returned to the doorway, where Hermione stood, uncertain of the nature of his visit, his mouth twisted into a sneer. "Ms Granger I have heard from very good sources something – no something's - which deeply concern me."

Hermione stood still, uncertain on how to proceed.

Lucius stood with his legs firmly planted, hands on the staff he carried around with him. "My sources had brought to my attention the fact that you are treating my wife."

Hermione nodded slowly and moved cautiously into the room, leaving enough room between them for safety's sake.

"Your services will no longer be needed. I find it pathetic that my wife has to lower herself to see you, lowly Mudblood scum to fix nothing. She is perfectly fine and I see no reason for her to be attending expensive appointments for something my incapable son deems as problems."

Hermione frowned and shook her head. "Your wife, if you paid enough attention to her in the first place is suffering – no suffered from depression and nightmares plus a case of patriarchal dominance forced upon her by you and her father. She came to me almost a year ago for help, her son by her side every step of the way."

Lucius sneered and waved his hand brushing away the argument. "It doesn't matter any more. My wife has never had a problem in her life, I do not see reason for why it should start now. But that is not the main cause for my visit today."

Hermione froze, if his wife was not the problem then…

"I want you to stop seeing my son. Immediately. My son does not need to be hanging around you and your kind. He is going places in this life and should not be held back by needy low life's."

"Your son leads his own life and it should not be dictated by you. He is in charge not you."

"Oh is that what you think? Well your opinions do not matter. Draco is already set on his path to success thanks to the Malfoy name and our pureblood status. In fact I think it should be wise to mention that nothing could ever come from this frivolous affair you two are carrying out. Draco is and has been arranged to marry a girl from another prestigious family since birth and time for fulfilment of that pact is nigh."

Hermione shook her head and tightened her jaw, tilting up her chin ready to take Malfoy on. "Your son is aware of such a stupid arrangement and does not wish to follow out the plans that were made for him without his consent. He loves me and is happy with me, we are happy together regardless of what you say and nothing is going to stop me from seeing him."

Lucius sneered once more, his eyes glinting with malice. "I think you should reconsider your words Ms Granger. You are now thinking for the life of more than just yourself." His eyes narrowed on her stomach, sending a clear sign of what he was insinuating.

Hermione's hands went to wrap around her stomach protectively. "Don't you dare hurt my child."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Lucius snorted and then smiled dangerously at her. "But I will hurt Draco and the baby if you do not comply. Surely you wouldn't want to loose both your child and Draco in one go?" His voice was soft and mocking, yet the surety and the promise of his words lingered.

"You would not hurt your own son or grandchild." Hermione said and then stopped. This was the right hand man of Voldemort. The man who'd brought his son into the service of the Dark Lord without a thought, the man who'd murdered many without a single flicker of compassion or regret.

"Really? I dare say you yourself do not believe the words spewing from your mouth."

"You do not frighten me."

Lucius sighed like he was dealing with incompetent child who was wasting the air they breathed and did not deserve a minute of his time or day. In a flash his wand was whipped out from his cane and pointing at her stomach. "You will break up with my son Mudblood or you will lose your child and I will be forced to kill my own son, arranging it so that you are to blame."

Hermione reached into her back pocket and tried to pick out her wand only to find air. She'd left it on her dressing table when she'd changed out of her clothes from her visit to St Mungos.

Lucius saw the movement and its intent and before she could move to defend herself he shouted "Crucio"

Hermione dropped to the floor with an agonising scream. The fire burned her body, alighting all her nerve endings with horrible pain and fire that had her writhing on the ground.

Lucius stopped his torment and stepped closer to her. "You will stop seeing my son or I will use another curse that you will not survive like your precious friend did on all three of you, making you watch as I kill Draco and your child first before killing you."

"No…no!" she gasped, her nerves still teetering with pain from the curse.

"Oh yes. You will leave Draco and not tell him about your child and you will never contact nor see him again. If I find out that he is still with you or knows about his child I will kill you regardless."

"Don't…no don't please!"

"I am beyond such pleads. You will do as I say and I will spare you or you go against me and I will make you wish for death anyway. Do you understand?" Lucius shouted over her, his wand still pointed down at her.

Hermione refused to reply and so, Lucius muttered Crucio once more.

Hermione screamed and continued to writhe in pain. "Ok! Ok! Please…I will."

"Good." Lucius replied, straightening to replace his wand and step back. "Well then, I'll hold you to that promise Ms Granger. Good day." He said it pleasantly so that anyone who had caught his final words would not think that only seconds before his voice had been so cold and his intent so dangerous he'd tortured her to doing his bidding. As he stepped around her and proceeded to leave her house, Hermione could only curl up into a ball and cry, her hands tightly closed over her body, protecting her unborn child from the coldness of his grandfather.

* * *

Someone pounded on her front door just as lightning flashed through the sky. Hermione flinched and then calmed herself enough to move out of Chase's tight hold and get up. But Chase held on and refused to let go forcing Hermione to pick him up and carry him with her to the door. The day after Lucius had visited her, Draco had greeted her with the biggest smile and kiss it took everything she had to not tell him about her pregnancy. And then when he'd proceeded to shower her in roses and the gems native to Australia, that he'd brought her or when he'd ravished her with to days worth of hunger, Hermione almost cried.

She couldn't tell him, she couldn't say they shouldn't see each other any more. She couldn't break his heart.

So, they'd made love one last time, Hermione forcing it to go slow and for herself to cherish these last moments with him, the last moments she would ever have.

And then, when morning came, she'd left the safety and warmth of his embrace as he'd slept and quickly took off to her home, picking up her already packed bags and closing the door on her witching life.

She'd had Chase 5 months later, a month early by standards but he'd arrived and unharmed from the curse she'd suffered from.

Hermione had never looked back.

The door banged again and with the crack of thunder, Chase had whimpered and tightened his grasp on her sweater, attempting to bury his face in her neck further. As she reached for the door knob, a cold chill rushed through her body making her pause and consider her wand.

Hermione backed back down the hall towards to closest she'd filled with linen. From the back of the top shelf she reached for her wand and shoved it into her back pocket. The door rattled again with knocking.

"Hang on!" she called, shifting Chase slightly and moving back towards the door. With her free hand, she pulled her wand out of her pocket and took hold of the door handle with the same hand. Peering through the peep hole, Hermione frowned when she saw what looked to be the same teen from the park standing patiently outside her door.

Turning the knob, she opened the door slightly and peered out.

"Can I help you?" she asked. Chase hesitantly pulled back from her neck to peek out at the stranger.

The teen looked relieved to see her, his eyes travelling up and down her body before stopping to stare at Chase. Chase grinned and relaxed some from the storm as he beamed at the teenager standing on their doorstep.

Hermione repeated the question, her hand tightening on her wand.

The teen looked at her, a smile on his face that rang a bell of familiarity within the depths of Hermione's mind. She frowned.

"Hermione…" he whispered.

"I'm sorry, but what do you want?" Completely missing the fact that he'd called out her name.

The boy smiled and then something seemed to shimmer across his body.

"I thought you would be able to see through my disguise Hermione."

Hermione looked closely at the man, noticing the steely grey of his eyes, so familiar as if she'd looked into them every day of her life.

"Mumma!" Chase cried happily, patting her cheek for attention. Hermione turned to her son and gasped, her eyes immediately turning back to the teenager's for confirmation.

"Draco?" she whispered hesitantly. The teen nodded causing Hermione to frown at his appearance. As she did, he turned his head to check if the hallway was clear and then his glamour started to shift and fade, leaving in his place the Draco she'd left over 2 years ago.

"Hello Hermione."

* * *

A/N: Ahhhhh.... my first fan fic. So do we like? Dislike? Let me know. Constructive critisicm is always welcomed.


	2. Forever, Always

Disclaimer: I am not, sadly, J.K Rowling.

**A/N:** *in creepy, horror movie voice* I'm baa-ack!

* * *

Lightning flashed, bright and distinguishing, like an arrow to the heart. Through the windows behind him, across the hall, rain poured like a torrent, wild and chaotic. Thunder clapped harshly even as Hermione's eyes opened in shock, her gaze taking in Draco's form repeatedly as if to check that he was truly there and not some apparition. "Draco?" she whispered again, unbelievingly. Her hand went out to clutch the doorframe for support, her legs about to give way under the shock.

Draco smiled, a small curve of his lips and nodded. Raising his eyebrows he tilted his heads towards her, more particularly behind her. Hermione nodded absently and stepped back into her darkened apartment, allowing Draco to step past her and walk into her living room.

She followed quietly after shutting the door and engaging all the locks once more, the shock with his abrupt appearance was still thick about her. When she reached the living room, Chase wriggled to be set down, and in doing so, she allowed him to crawl over to Draco's feet.

Draco stared down at Chase as he manoeuvred to sit at his feet and smile up at him. In a quick movement, Draco had Chase settled comfortably against his hip, his arm wrapped tightly around him. Chase patted his hand against Draco's cheek, cooing at his father.

"He's mine isn't he?" Draco asked, leaning, as Hermione had done earlier into Chase's touch.

His question seemed to bring Hermione out of her unborn reality as she cried out and leapt towards him to hold him tight, her nerves finally snapping, his appearance in her living room finally slamming home.

"Draco…Oh my god Draco you're here…" she chanted and then, only then, did tears choke her words, sobs emit from her mouth as Draco's free arm wrapped around her. She broke down, tears cascading down her cheeks as she herself buried her head against Draco and wept two years worth of fears and joy.

Draco stared down at Hermione as she wept and then looked towards his son who was looking back at him with awe. The past two years had been a passing blur as he tried desperately to figure out where Hermione had gone, why she had disappeared. He remembered their last time together, how she'd wanted it slow and had continually repeated 'I love you' long after as they lay there together and held each other. He had felt something was wrong, something bad was about to happen. Yet he'd done nothing, until it was too late.

* * *

_Three…_When Draco had woken up the next morning to an empty bed, panic had set in. He'd jumped up and slipped on the closest pair of pants before searching out his house for her. When he did not find her he apparated to her own apartment only to find it locked tight. Breaking in, he was shocked to find everything had been packed up and covered with white sheets.

He'd exploded, panicked and tore apart the house looking for some sort of clue to where she'd gone all the time knowing it was useless.

He'd searched out her office, only to find her most trusted employee had taken charge of the clinic, he'd cursed Daniel and tried to get her whereabouts out of him only to have it fail completely when Daniel informed him Hermione hadn't left any forwarding address or number for contact.

Draco had withdrawn from the clinic, angry and furious with the thought that Hermione had used him and then left him high and dry, played around with his heart and then kicked him away when she'd extracted her revenge.

At the family dinner three nights later, Lucius had been in a very good mood while Draco raged about women and their scornful ways. His mother had scolded him for such talk, defending women in general's side immediately causing Lucius to turn once again on his wife and put her down, informing her that she had no right to be defending the mudblood, and had no right or need to be seeking help from her.

Draco had frozen in his seat at his father's words. Lucius shouldn't have known his wife was seeking help from the services of Hermione, he shouldn't have know that he, Draco was in contact with her at all. Pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall together, and Draco was starting to find he did not like the outcome of this particular puzzle at all. Slowly he turned to his father, seated at the head of the table and quietly and viciously ordered an explanation to what he'd done to Hermione. Lucius had returned Draco's gaze, triumph and bitterness whirling within his own grey eyes. "I've done only what she deserves." Lucius replied with a smirk.

Draco had stood up immediately, stormed over to his father and pulled him up by the lapels of his collar. With a quick step of his feet he had his father against the wall, his fist clenching closed as he withdrew his arm and sent it flying back into his father's jaw. Lucius grunted in pain but did nothing further.

"What did you do to her?" Draco hissed, slamming Lucius against the wall again.

Lucius chuckled slightly as a trickle of blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth. "More than the mudblood deserves for thinking she ever had a chance."

With his second cryptic remark, Draco had lost all patience and had turned on his father without an ounce of pity; all his pain, confusion, betrayal and fury came out in the form of his fists as he continued to beat his father with his own hands.

Tears were trickling down his cheeks by the time a soft hand laid itself on his shoulder, and then jerked him away from the pitiless, unconscious form of his father.

"Draco, baby…don't" his mother whispered, cupping his face softly within her hands, her eyes searching his gaze for her son.

"He killed her…" he whispered, his voice breaking under the emotion he still held.

"Honey you don't know that."

"Neither do you." Draco retorted, jerking his face from her grasp and stalking out of the room. Narcissa had followed him, catching up with him in the foyer, just before he walked out the door. "He said he'd done more than she'd deserved, Draco. He hasn't killed her like he believes he should have. You should know that."

With that Draco had stormed out of the house, his mother's words not catching up to him or sinking into his being until his cloud of destruction had worn out days later, after he'd sunken into an exhausted state of unconsciousness. When he came to the next night, Draco realised that his mother had been right and he should have known it all along. He knew his father was not above himself as to spare a mudblood's life, especially one he held such a grudge against. To say he did to her was more than she deserved…

Hope flamed within him. As he looked around his apartment he noted the havoc he'd wreck on the rooms and furniture. With a flick of his wand and a call for Dobby, he'd left knowing the flat would be back to normal before he'd returned.

He'd left to do some searching. He'd bypassed security at Gringotts and discovered she'd withdrawn half her savings and later turned it over to muggle money. But where she'd gone from there was a mystery.

He'd spent most of his spare time searching for her, looking through data and the systems that muggles had set up to keep their census up to date. During days he worked furiously to expand his empire, see it succeed and triumph. By nights he studied information, searching for any sign of the where-abouts of Hermione.

Sometimes he thought he'd found her, so he took off like a shot to scout out the town where he'd thought he'd located her. He did this over most of the world, going to many different countries just to seek her out. As time drew on, he became increasingly frustrated and slowly started to give up.

Then in the last moments of reality before he passed out for the night, he'd remembered Harry Potter, Hermione's best friend.

* * *

"Hermione" he whispered, burying his nose in her sweet smelling hair. He groaned at the familiar scent that haunted him most nights as he dreamed about her. God how he'd missed her so.

Hermione held tightly onto Draco, not wanting to let him go for fear he might disappear again, fear he might be a dream.

"Hermione…god I've missed you." Draco whispered into her head. Hermione raised her head to look at Draco, touching his face softly as he gazed down upon her.

"You're here…" she whispered, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek, to touch what was real. Chase frowned and struggled in Draco's hold, wanting out. Bending, Draco dropped Chase onto the floor and watched him crawl out of the room.

"He's mine…" Draco had whispered in awe after Chase had disappeared out of sight. Hermione nodded, her eyes misting with a fresh layer of tears for what for what must have been the tenth time in only a few minutes. Draco beamed at her before drawing her into him and closing his mouth over hers.

He kissed the life out of her. Tingles and shivers ran the entire length of her body, reawakening parts of her long dormant. With a moan she opened her mouth and allowed his tongue pass, tangling hers with his to taste him once again, memories and sensations she'd forgotten filling her mind's eye. He was here with her again.

He was alive.

Draco drew the kiss out, not wanting for one moment to be separated from her again. He'd almost forgotten how it felt to have her lips on his, her tongue tangling with his. Every night he'd dreamt of her, his memories coming alive, so vividly, Draco would wake up in a sweat the next morning, his body still feeling the phantom traces of her hands. And yet, her taste was still, still as exquisite as it once was, and Draco still could not get enough of it.

"Draco…" Hermione moaned, drawing back from him slowly and somewhat regretfully, but she needed to know, was desperate to know how, and without his father getting in the way. Draco kissed her further, holding her head to him for a moment longer before he let her go. Hermione sucked in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the deprived air she needed before asking: "How did you find me?"

* * *

_Two…_The next day Draco approached Potter. Over the time that Draco had spent with Hermione, she'd some how managed to get him, Potter and Weaselette – no,_ Mrs Harry Potter_- on talking terms with each other. Weasley #6 however was a different story, he still held a thick as anything grudge against Draco, to which Draco could only sigh and ignore. Draco walked up to Harry's front door, knocked quickly twice and awaited someone to answer.

When the door opened there stood the youngest Weasley, her red hair pulled back offhandedly into a ponytail, her plain grey top and red skirt were covered by a pink apron, smudged and smeared with flour and some other baking goop. On her left cheek she also had smeared flour, most likely in the attempt to wipe her eyes. From within the house behind her wafted the glorious scent of cookies.

She frowned when she recognised him and got over the shock that he would be on her doorstep. "Can I help you Malfoy?"

"I need to speak with Potter." He replied, shifting on his feet anxiously. He so badly wanted to see Potter, so badly wanted to find Hermione, but know, standing there in front of the youngest Weasley peering up at him curiously and untrustingly he suddenly doubted his chances at doing so.

"Why?"

"I need to talk with him. Please…its about…Hermione." Draco whispered. Weasley's eyebrows raised slightly and she shifted herself to the side. "Harry is working…out the back yard with James. Come on in."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped past Weasley no…_Potter_ and followed her through the house out the back door. When he stepped through the back door and onto the patio sheltered from the sun by wooden struts tangled by thick viny foliage, he was waylaid by a small body around his leg. Looking down he found a smaller version of Potter looking suspiciously back up at him.

"James I want you to wash your hands before you sit down for morning tea please." Ginny asked of her son. James continued to stare up at Draco for a moment longer before stepping around him and disappearing inside.

"Harry…Malfoy is here to see you." She called out to him across the lawn. Their backyard was big enough to fit two swimming pools comfortably and still have enough room for children to run around. Around the back edges of the yard was a garden, neatly trimmed and overflowing with colour. The grass was neatly cut to a respectable level and a large oak tree bloomed thunderously in the corner of the yard, overshadowing the small kiddy pool that had been set up.

Harry looked up from the chaos of wood around him and stared at Draco, his mouth slightly opened. In his lap, underneath plans of some kind, wriggled another body with reddish brown hair. Ginny sighed and walked out the Potter, bending over to pick up the child and to tell him something quietly before she gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked back inside, a squirming little girl in her arms.

"Potter" Draco nodded in greeting slowly walking out to greet Harry. Harry stood up, the bewildered look still on his face. Draco struck out his hand.

"Malfoy" Harry greeted, rubbing his hands on his pants to clean then before he took Draco's outstretched hand. "How can I help you?" he asked, stepping clear of the pile of wood that had been centred around him.

"Hermione." Draco said.

Harry paused and frowned. "Why do you want Hermione?" he asked.

"Because she disappeared."

Harry raised his eyebrows as if it was the obvious. "Hermione doesn't want to be found." Harry replied, stepping around Draco and walking towards the patio where a jug of cold water sat on a table.

"I need to find her." Draco continued, trying to convince him that he really needed to find Hermione. She was his life, his breath of air. Nothing was going to stop him from finding her.

"Why? She wants out of this world." Harry replied pouring himself a drink and then offering Draco another after second thoughts.

"I need to find her. 6 months ago I come back from a business trip and we have the greatest night ever. The next morning I wake up to find she'd left, and not just left my bed, my house but life. Then at the next family dinner I am forced into, my father reveals he'd known about her helping my mother and insinuated that he knew about our relationship." Draco stopped his rant to walk away and then come back, restlessly running a hand through his hair. "He did something to her, I don't know what but I know she's alive and from what you've just said…disappeared from our world altogether."

Harry drained his glass of water. "How do I know that you don't want to cause her more problems than she's already experiencing?" he asked.

"Because…I don't want…I can't…" Draco was getting worked up. Angry because Potter wasn't listening, angry with his father for scaring Hermione, his love away.

"You can't what?" Harry pushed, waiting patiently for the verbal proof of what was already splayed across his old arch nemesis' face.

"I can't live without her!" Draco exploded finally, swinging his arms out as he turned to pace away. "Damn it Potter – just tell me where she is already! I want to bring her back. I can't breathe without her; I can't sleep…Christ Potter I was going to propose to her that afternoon but…" Draco stopped his ranting surprised with himself that he let that piece of information slip. He looked at Harry, shock written across his face.

"You were going to propose to her?" Harry asked quietly, slowly placing his cup back on the table.

Draco nodded, dragging his hands over his face roughly and through his hair in an un-Draco like manner.

Harry watched Draco as he continued to pace across his patio, somewhat convinced for his plight.

"Thing is I can't tell you where she is." Harry started. Draco paused and turned to face him, worry etched in to his face.

"You're her best-"

"I know, but the thing is I only get mail from her every couple of months. When I send back mail I post it to a certain place and they'll redirect the mail to where it has to go. I don't exactly know where she is except how to get in touch with her."

"Your kidding…don't you owl her?"

Harry shook his head. "Correspondence is through muggle mail. She's in the muggle world now. An owl turning up or flying out of her house every now and then is going to attract attention."

"Well when was the last time you got something from her?"

"Two months ago. She touches base every couple of months. She doesn't necessarily keep a timetable for this type of thing. She said she doesn't want anyone being able to locate her."

"Where do you send your mail?" Draco asked.

Harry told him where he sent the mail. Draco nodded and started towards the door.

"Draco!" Ginny called as he opened the front door to let himself out. Draco paused and turned around to see Ginny coming towards him with a handful of cookies and a pile of letters. Ginny smiled at him as she handed him the sandwich ziplock bag full of cookies and then looked down at the letters in her hand.

"I think we're supposed to keep these quiet so…I didn't give them to you if anyone asks."

Draco accepted the small pile of letters from Ginny, glancing over them before he tucked them in the deep pocket of his cloak. "Thankyou." He said shortly.

When Draco returned to his home he opened the first of the letters and sitting down, helping himself to the pre-offered cookies as he started to read.

The letters were short and very non-descript. Minor details were mentioned without giving away too much information on Hermione's whereabouts.

It was the latest letter that stopped him in his tracks and tore through his heart.

'_Harry, _

_He came! I'm so happy I could shout. Chase is so handsome that I couldn't believe my luck and he's so good to me. I wish I could introduce him to you and Ginny but It's tearing at my heart so much that I can't. I've vowed that I would never introduce any men from here on out that are involved in my life to my secrets, to the wizarding world. I would never say I'm ashamed of my heritage, but it's just more safer to keep him out of the loop at the moment, most likely forever. _

_Happy Birthday to you for next Sunday, I hope you enjoy it and the present I sent you._

_Love you always, _

_Hermione.'_

Draco's heart tore at the seams, breaking in two as he read her words. She'd found another man.

He wasn't good enough for her. She really didn't love him.

Lucius' threats had been the catalyst for her leaving, she'd probably already thought of breaking away but didn't want to hurt him and so forced herself into continuing to see him.

'No!' Draco thought, slamming a lid on the seeds of doubt swarming through his mind. He shook his head in self disgust, attempting to rid himself of newly born guilt forming in his chest and tried to read the next letter.

Again the letters continued to be far and few in between, until her last written letter two weeks ago.

'_Harry, _

_I know it's a bit late but after watching a couple of movies and during my continuous reading that I do, but I've decided to name you, Ginny and Ron, godparents to Chase. I'd thought about when Chase had been born but now that I start to sort out emergency contacts, I keep thinking 'what would happen to Chase should I not be there to take care of him?' _

_So I've written you down as emergency contact on a few sheets I've had to fill out in the process to get a few insurances sorted out as well as a sheet that will be stuck in plain sight should I randomly i.e 'magically' become indisposed of and leave Chase behind. _

_You'll be contacted, but you'll be your godfather to any caller. _

_You know how anal I am about these things and i'm hoping I don't jinx myself after this but it has to be done. _

_Take care,_

_Hermione.'_

Draco re-read the letter three times to ascertain he was reading the letter correctly and that it wasn't just some glamour, some spell that would mislead him any further. But the same words continued to be displayed on the page, in the same sentence in the same structure no mater how many times Draco read the letter.

And he hit the same conclusion every time.

Hermione had been pregnant. She had a baby boy named Chase.

Scambling through the letters he'd read before this one, Draco searched for the one that had torn apart his heart only a while ago and reread the letter,

Hermione had a baby boy. Chase was not some 30 year old guy whom she was dating, he was her 9 month old son.

Draco did the mental calculations in his head, counting back over the time Hermione had been gone and the date of the letter where she told Harry about having Chase.

He conclusion stumped and astounded him.

He was a dad. A father.

No wonder Lucius had 'done more than she deserved'. He didn't kill her because she was carrying his child, Lucius' grandchild.

His mind raised the question on why Hermione hadn't told him. Why his father knew instead.

Later, Draco planned to confront his father, first he had a woman and son to track down.

* * *

Hermione pulled Draco down onto the couch beside her just as Chase came crawling back into the room dragging his favourite toy bear with him. The bear was dark brown and worn away over time and heavy usage, a gift from Chase's godfather Harry.

Chase crawled over to Draco and pulled himself up to stand using Draco's pants before holding out the bear for Draco to take.

Draco smiled and took the bear.

"It's his favourite toy." Hermione informed him. "He must really like you."

"That's good. It was my favourite toy when I was a baby."

Hermione frowned and looked at Draco funny, waiting for an explanation to his words.

"This bear, Theodore, was given to me by my mother's grandmother. When I found out about Harry and his correspondence with you I convinced him to send this to you, claiming it as his own gift until I informed you in person." Draco told her.

Alarm crossed over her face, as if some thought just made itself known. She stood up quickly, her wand at the ready in her hand. "You shouldn't be here. Your father-!"

Draco took hold of Hermione's arm and pulled her down on top of him, her legs twisting enough to stop her from hitting Chase where he sat at Draco's feet.

"You don't have to worry about my father anymore Hermione."

* * *

_One…_Draco walked carelessly into the parlour where his mother and father were talking to their guests. They both sat on two different chairs, seeing Lucius favoured to sit regally in the stiff backed chair that Lucius' own father had preferred. Draco almost sneered openly at him. He only wanted to sit there as a way to subtly lord it over everyone who came into the manor, every conversation he listened half-heartedly to. His mother stopped mid sentence when she noted his entrance into the room, a smile forming on her face, something that Draco had never seen in all the year's he'd spent growing up. Again he was reminded of Hermione, how she pushed Narcissa to break through barriers and teachings that her family had, for generations, instilled on their young and encouraged her to be her own woman and not some image.

"Draco, dear." She said softly as she quickly rose and greeted her only son with a tight hug. Draco hugged just as tightly back, having not seen his mother for the past 6 months since he'd stormed out that afternoon.

"Narcissa I'm sure Draco is over the hugging stage." Lucius drawled, his eye flashing with annoyance. The guests, whom Draco was somewhat surprised to note were Blaise Zabini and his mother, looked on with polite disinterest as Narcissa hugged her son.

Slowly Narcissa pulled back after the demand. Taking Draco's hand in her own, she pulled in into the seat beside her. "Its so good to see you again. After the last diner I was afraid you'd never want to return to spend time with your mother."

"Narcissa the boy doesn't need to be coddled." Lucius hissed, his hands tightening their grasp on the arm rests of his chair.

Narcissa turned to face her husband, her lips drawn tight. "He is my only son Lucius and I will treat him as I want."

Mrs Zabini's eyebrows raised slightly, the only indication of her surprise at Narcissa's retort. Blaise smirked and then coughed to cover his short chuckle.

Lucius fumed silently.

"Well, I hate to be a spoil sport but I do have to go. Blaise is treating his mother to dinner at the new Restaurant on Lexington, the newest restaurant to come from the Parkinsons." Blaise's mother said as she stood up, her Prada handbag clasped in both hands. "I've heard nothing but raves about the food and service there. It got 5 stars in all reviews it's gotten so far. And Blaise was good enough to listen to his mother's hints and get us a reservation."

As she spoke, Mrs Zabini moved across the room to Narcissa as she stood, air kissing her cheek in goodbye before turning to Lucius. Lucius stood and took her proffered hand, gently kissing the tops of her knuckles before releasing it and nodding towards Blaise.

Draco stood as well and gave Mrs Zabini's hand the same treatment as his father before looking at Blaise. Blaise's face, hidden from his father and mother's view was a mixture of incredulity and amusement. They shook hands and then swiftly departed from the room via floo.

As soon as the flames had died down, Lucius turned to Narcissa a sneer on his face. "What the hell do you think you were doing? You do not do that in front of company."

Narcissa's eye's narrowed before she turned and walked out of the room.

"Do not walk away when I am talking to you! That is disrespect and you know it!" Lucius yelled.

Narcissa continued walking, ignoring her husband's comment.

"_Imperio_!" Came a shout, and an instant later, Narcissa was still. "Come here now!" Lucius demanded.

Narcissa turned around and walked stiffly back to her husband, her face devoid of all emotion, a blank canvas ready to be used for its master's will.

"You will listen when I am speaking to you. Do you understand me?" Lucius raised his free hand and swung it towards her face.

The crack of skin hitting skin never came; Draco stood rigidly, plain cold fury written on his face as he harshly gripped his father's wrist in a hold that bruised.

"Do. Not. Touch. Her." He breathed out, his voice low and full of anger.

Lucius shook his hand free and stepped back to stare at his son. "You will not tell me what to do with my own wife Draco." He said quietly. His eye's cold and vicious, trained on Draco's.

A wand was whipped out and situated at Lucius' neck before he could blink. "Release her." Draco ordered.

"Like you could hurt me boy." Lucius sneered.

Draco pressed his wand further into his father's neck, the skin pulling tight. "Release her." He repeated.

Lucius continued to stare down at his son for a few minutes more before he muttered the counter spell and Narcissa stepped away on her own volition.

The silence in the room crackled with electricity as the two Malfoy men stared each other down. Finally, Draco stepped back, his body protectively positions in front of his mother's as he back up and into her.

Narcissa calmly stepped around Draco and walked up to Lucius. A crack snapped the silence of the room.

"For years I've put up with you and your crap, played along obediently like the good wife I'd been trained to be. You Malfoy's are all cold façades and prestige, not giving a shit about everyone else but yourselves. But you go too far." Narcissa said so politely, so calmly that it had Draco freezing in shock. "I am sick and tired of you and your demented, demeaning ideology. You are so set in your ways that the world is changing around you, and you are fast becoming the old pretentious fart that you yourself sneered upon. I'm sick of it. Sick of you."

With that, Narcissa turned and walked calmly, head held high towards the door. As she reached the door, she stopped and turned. "Oh and Lucius…I want a divorce."

Draco stared at the spot his mother had just been in, both shocked and proud for what she had just done lighting up his face. He turned to face his father only to find Lucius' face contorted with rage.

"See what you have done!" Lucius raged. "You took her to that filthy whore of a mudblood-"

Draco slammed his fist into Lucius' face, watching happily as he lost his balance and toppled backwards. "Don't ever talk about the mother of my child like that again. Goodbye."

And with that, Draco followed in his mother's footsteps out of the room.

It was three days later that Aurors found his father, reeking of the finest whisky, dead in his seat behind his desk in the room he'd made his own.

* * *

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Lucius Malfoy was dead. Dead! A gurgle of cheer bubbled up through her throat. Her eyes widened in shame, her hands clapping over her mouth as she searched Draco's face for some kind of remorse or sadness, only to find relief and love.

"But how?" she asked.

"Took his own life. Swallowed a sleep potion that was brewed wrong. Because of his genius in potions, I say he did it purposely, but had too much pride to allow the public to know he was a coward and took his own life."

"What about your mother? How is she faring in all of this?"

Draco shrugged easily. "She's taking a relaxing break in the beauty spa in town."

Hermione drew away from his grasp to frown at him. "Your mother is in town?"

"Well it just happened to be coincidence that the best beauty and relaxation spa in the world happens to be in the city where you live." He paused before changing topic. "Being that you no longer have to worry about my father, would you consider coming back to London with me?"

Hermione didn't even have to think twice before she was in his arms, her shriek of laughter and joy echoing around the room.

"Hell yeah!"

Chase chose that moment to shriek indignantly at the amount of attention he wasn't receiving. Hermione laughed and pulled him up onto her lap.

"He looks just like you, you know." She said happily as she snuggled into Draco's side.

"Really, I thought he looked strongly like you." He replied, his finger tracing Chase's profile. Chase grinned and took Draco's finger into his mouth.

"Can he talk yet?" Draco asked.

"A little bit. He knows mummy, and ducky really well."

"Well can he say Daddy?" Draco asked Chase. Hermione took up on the opportunity to teach Chase to refer to his father, not having done so before as a way to avoid and future questions or reminders about Chase's fatherless state.

"Say Daddy, Chase. Dad-dy" She said slowly.

Chase grinned up at his father and opened his mouth.

"Ducky!"

* * *

_Zero_…The post office official was difficult. He adamantly refused to allow the forwarding address Hermione had given them to be released, claiming Draco was probably up to no good no matter how hard Draco tried convincing. Finally Draco had had to slip a small amount of Veritaseum into the man's coffee during his morning break and chat him up under the guise of a fellow post office official and eventually coerce him into revealing the forwarding address for Hermione's mail.

And found it was directed to another post office on the other side of the earth.

Draco had port-keyed it to New Zealand and found the post office.

This time however he found the redirected address lead to a Level three apartment in Queenstown, on the south Island.

Draco held back from charging up and knocking on the door, demanding that they give him Hermione's address. Instead he scoped the apartment complex out a bit with various disguises. Problem was, the address belonged to an elderly couple. Draco waited patiently, keeping his appearance that of a smart, local business man he'd seen thumbing around town as his main disguise, sitting in the park down the road from the complex, yet easily in sight of the front door. He'd hung about the park long enough to know when the elderly couple left each evening exactly at three to take a leisurely stroll around the block. Draco found himself taking advantage of their absence one evening when they left to take their ritual 20 minute walk to investigate their apartment in hopes he would find what he was looking for.

Draco stood from his seat in the park and walked towards the building after having watched the two round the corner down the end of the street and disappearing from sight. He casually approached the building's entrance and used a simple '_alohomora_' to unlock the front door and allow him passage into the foyer of the building.

During the past day's of observation or reconnaissance, as Draco preferred to call it, he'd noted that the couple lived on the forth floor of the complex. As he made his way up the stair well he heard the sound of a child giggling and a woman's soft voice from the landing above. Trying to remain inconspicuous, Draco has continued his ascent up the building, yet when he reached the landing he froze in disbelief.

The child was strapped into the stroller, waving his hands about in the baby like fashion regardless of the fact his mother was trying to lock him into the seat with the provided straps. The small boy, Draco deterred from the blue overalls and shoes he wore, had curly blonde hair and eyes like his own.

"You know if you settled your arms down a bit Chase, we'd get to the park a bit faster." His mother informed the child in a soft, bemused manner.

At the call of the child's name, Draco's eyes had immediately shot to the woman, his mind not daring to hope that what he was seeing and hearing was true.

His eyes ran over the woman's body but what struck him was the brown curly hair that was tied into a careless bun on top of her head.

'Hermione?' his mind questioned, his body still frozen in place. And then the woman stood after finally strapping her child in and moved to stand behind the stroller before she noted Draco's presence.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was in anybody's way."

But Draco didn't hear her words, didn't even register that she was talking to him.

All his mind was focused on was the fact that the woman in front of him was Hermione.

And…and the child in the stroller was his…his…

"Ah…are you alright sir?" she questioned, a bit concerned for the way this man was staring at her son. She waved a hand in front of Chase to get his attention and frowned when he jerked himself out of his stupor and looked once again at her, the intensity, the relief in his gaze causing unease to fill her.

"What? Ah…no. I mean yes. No…" his voice trailed off as he stared at her and then quickly shook his head and continued past her moving towards the upward staircase behind her.

Draco was struck with definite uncertainty. Even as he reached the top of the stairs he paused and pulled himself out of sight as Hermione waited patiently for the lift to reach her level, Draco was overcome with shock and well…definite uncertainty. He had no idea how he was going to reveal himself to Hermione after two years. Did she still want him? Did she even feel some of the millions of feelings Draco felt for her? Would she be happy to see him and allow him to see his son? Would she even reveal the fact that he _had_ a son?

Silently Draco watched, not believing his luck at having run into Hermione, a level below the elderly couple in question of his reconnaissance. With a chuckle at something Chase did, Draco watched Hermione move into the elevator and disappear behind the closing doors.

He couldn't believe he'd finally found her.

* * *

Draco watched in quiet euphoria as Hermione put a sleepy Chase to bed. She kissed his head goodnight and re-tucked the blankets around her son again before she quietly made her way out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She smiled as she reached Draco, passing him and continuing on to the kitchen.

When Draco walked into the room, Hermione was milling about fixing two cups of something hot. Outside the storm was at its pinicle and then suddenly the lights flickered and went out.

"Shit." Hermione whispered. In the light from the following bolt of lightning, Draco saw Hermione raise her hand to her mouth in shock over her choice of words. He chuckled and walked over to her. "Such language." He whispered into her ear as he closed his arms around her waist and drew her against him.

Hermione sighed. "I didn't mean to say that. I'm sorry."

Draco shrugged and nuzzled at Hermione's neck, her sweet aroma filling his senses. "I say much worse than that you know." He replied huskily.

"Yes I know. I hope you weren't too eager for a hot drink. I've only got an electric kettle and well, there's no electricity."

Draco laughed and then smoothly cut it off when Hermione drew away to send him a pointed look. "You do remember you're a witch right?"

For some undoubtable reason, Draco knew that Hermione was blushing, even though it was almost pitch black.

"I knew that." She said turning back to the kettle. But Draco had already raised his wand and had the kettle boiling before she could find her wand.

"Thank you." She whispered turning around once more to face him.

Draco looked over her silhouette. She was just as he remembered; she hadn't changed one bit in all the two years since she'd left.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her hands coming together in front of her as she nervously fiddled with her nails. Draco stepped forward and took her hands within his own, stilling their quick agitated movements. "There is nothing to be sorry for. I understand what my father did to you. If I had been in your place I would have done the same thing to save my son. Our son…" he answered.

Hermione nodded, leaning her head forward so it rested on his chest, her head tucked under his chin. "So I am forgiven?"

"Of coarse. But Hermione…do you still want me? I mean after what my father did to you…do you still feel the same about me?" He asked the top of her head, his hands soothingly rubbing up and down her back.

"Yes. I missed you terribly when I first left. I was so angry, so terribly sick with myself that last time we made love, but I didn't want anything to happen to Chase even though he was still only in my womb."

His arms tightened around her for a moment before one dropped away and slipped into his pocket.

"Hermione, I wanted to ask you this that morning, when we'd woken up and after I'd convinced you into another round with me."

Draco stepped back and held the small open box up to her. The lightning flashed, whether it was coincidence or some god out there watching over them and making things easier, but it flashed and lit up the gold ring that lye in the bed of velvet within the box. The Ring had one beautiful princess cut diamond in the centre, surrounded by two emeralds and two ruby's. The ring itself had a winding vine pattern on the inside, the vine curling to a stop as it reached the two initials 'D & H'.

Hermione's eye widened as she moved back into the counter, reaching back for support. "Draco…" She whispered almost too quietly for him to hear. But he did and his eyes fell upon hers, searching for fear, regret or sorrow.

"Hermione…forgive me for not asking when I first saw you in that office. Ever since then, it could have only been you. Only you. Marry me, be only mine." He asked her holding the box up to her, his heart in her hands.

Seconds passed by, and when a minute was up, Draco felt his heart drop, crack open and burn up in a horrible, indescribable agony. Slowly he withdrew his hand, his face burning with too much shame and heartbreak to look her in the eye.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, closing the box to the ring and withdrawing his hand.

"Draco." Hermione started, in the most authoritive voice she could command. Draco paused momentarily, and then thinking she was only going to pity him, and explain why she refused, breaking his heart open even more, he turned, moving to place the ring box in his pocket.

"No!" Hermione cried, lunging at him and tackling him to the ground. Draco fell with a loud 'oof' and felt the box being snatched out of his hand, a large weight settling on his back.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered. At the sound of her whispered words hope flared within him, his brain calling for a fire brigade to put out the fire burning his heart and a seamstress to mend it again. He lay still, not daring to turn over and see what she was doing.

"Hermione…" He said weakly into the floor.

"Oh! Sorry." She replied, her knees planting themselves firmly on either side of Draco's torso so he could turn around, yet was still trapped between them.

Even once he'd turned around he was tackled front on by Hermione, a death grip around his neck.

"Yes." She breathed into his ear, her voice light and happy, joyous, Draco dared to think.

Immediately, his brain called for a crane to be added to help mend his heart. It had to be put back properly into Hermione's hands after all.

"But you didn't say anything…"

"I was shocked you idiot." She replied breathlessly as she attacked his face with her mouth. She showered him with kisses before Draco's hands reached up to cup her face with his hands, steadying her face as he looked at her properly.

"Serious?" he asked.

"Hell yeah." She giggled in return smashing her mouth to his. Draco returned the kiss, throwing two years of restrained love and passion into it. His arms moved to wrap around her body, holding tight to his own. Her torso, hips and legs slide into compliance, pasting them against him. A moan escaped her throat to be swallowed only by Draco's mouth. He groaned against her, the kiss quickly turning inflamed, their passion and love for each other consuming them, burning bright and fierce within them, coming to join, fuse together at their mouths.

"Hermione…" Draco uttered as they drew apart quickly for oxygen, his breathing just as heavy as hers.

"Draco…now. It has to be now." She whimpered as she started ripping apart his shirt and attacking his belt buckle. "God…please. Too long…" she panted out, her voice strained.

Draco lifted up from his waist to rid himself of his torn shirt, casting it away along the kitchen floor. His hands immediately returned to her top, tearing the tank at the seams viciously, a growl tearing from his throat. Once the cloth was torn away his hands attached themselves to her light bra and slipped around to her back and the clasp. His hands, once masters at the art of unclipping bras, snagged, and couldn't manage to unhook the hooks. He growled, doubley loud in frustration and for the fact that Hermione's hands were now tugging his pants off his legs, attempting to remove them with her own legs as she madly kissed his mouth off of him. When Draco grunted in annoyance with the clasp of her bra, Hermione sat up laughing and pulled the bra open herself, dragging it off of herself. She paused and grinned down at him, letting out a shriek of delight when Draco took hold of her and rolled them so that she was below him. His hands and lips started, without pause at her breasts, breasts that had grown somewhat with the pregnancy of their son. Hermione's back arched, pushing them into his lips and delightful hand.

"Please…Draco. Don't play please, not now." She half yelled half whispered, her voice cracking when Draco tugged hungrily at her breast.

At her plea his hands flew to her pants, pushing the elastic waist band down over her hips and down her legs. Once they were off and he'd crawled back up to rest his hips within the cradle of her own, his arousal jutting out, pressing heavily into her womanly parts.

"Hermione…" Draco whispered stilling his hurried movements to wait for her to properly look at him.

"Forever." He told her.

"Forever." She repeated, nodding her head, a desperate noise escaping her only to escalate into a long, drawn out moan as Draco surged forward, their bodies connecting once again in the most intimate of ways.

It was hard, it was fast and the waves of pure pleasure rolled over each other, tearing through the both of them. It was the softest movements of love, but the harsh coupling of partners separated from each other against their wishes.

Draco's body pistoned back and forth, filling Hermione only like he could, totally and unconditionally. Her hands gripped his arms tightly, her legs tightly around his waist, her cries echoing off the tiles and walls of the kitchen. She wanted him more than life. He was her heart and soul, her partner. He was hers for forever.

Their movements escalated as their passion grew, hips crashing together fiercely, hands gripping unforgivably. As Hermione approached the brink, she lifted up and attached her mouth to his, hungrily feeding him her scream of sheer pleasure, he returning it with his own shout of triumph as he followed her.

He collapsed on top of her, his head falling to rest in the crook of her neck and shoulder, his breath hot and heavy on her skin.

They panted, trying to replace the amount of air needed to their lungs, hands and arms still tightly wrapped around each other.

"Draco…" Hermione started, her breath still slightly unsteady.

He raised his head, his lips caressing her chin before covering her lips for a sweet, less intense kiss.

"Forever." Hermione told him.

He smiled and found her left hand, raising it up to find she'd already claimed his ring on her fourth finger. He kissed it once before his hand replaced his mouth to rub over it contemplatively.

"Always." He replied.

* * *

A couple of hours later, namely the next afternoon, Narcissa Malfoy sat in Hermione's living room after being called from her spa. A bunch of high end wedding magazines were spread out over the tiny coffee table, one open on the seat beside her. Hermione leaned into Draco, standing beside her in the doorway where they watched Narcissa interact with her grandson as she flipped through one of the books.

"Hermione do you like the idea of lilies or roses? Or what about orchids?" She called out.

Draco snickered and kissed his fiancée on the temple. "How do you feel about eloping?" he asked her.

Narcissa turned suddenly, her expression fierce and determined.

"Don't you dare think of running off and eloping. I've waited for almost three years for this wedding, ever since I brought you with me into that office of hers." Narcissa informed her son. "There is no way I'd let you get away with that and you will not treat your mother to photo's of such a wedding. I'll be front row centre to the most beautiful wedding of the year thankyou very much."

Draco frowned at his mother's determination and assertiveness. Beside him, Hermione giggle. "Didn't you once tell me I was the best psychiatrist?" she asked sweetly.

Draco frowned. "I think you over did it somewhat."

A magazine suddenly hit Draco smack bang in the face, crumpling to the floor afterwards.

Hermione cracked up, doubling over in a fit of laughter as Draco stared dumbly at his mother. Narcissa simply sat innocently on the couch, Chase squirming in her arms.

"Definitely too well." He muttered, a grin appearing on his face.

**The End**.

* * *

**A/N:** Hhahahahahaha! In celebration of the release of the Half Blood Prince today in Australia, i decided to whip myself into gear and finish off part two to Count Down. *_Drools_* Draco Malfoy.......sxc sxc sxc man....and quoting my friend 'the things i'd let him do to me sideways'......*_Grins innocently_* Who said that? Nyways, thanks a lot to all those that reviewed the first part. Yeah...i'm not that cruel as to leave the story there. I couln't believe all the review, favourite story and author alert etc emails i got for my first fanfic. Thanks heaps!

Maybe soon i'll be posting another story, something along the lines of 'How to Get Yourself A Malfoy'....maybe....:)

Till then, hope you liked it.


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